Abstract
Nicholas Selby and colleagues describe how the definition of acute kidney injury brings opportunities and challenges in identifying patients at higher risk of adverse outcomes.
Highlights
Acute kidney injury (AKI), previously termed acute renal failure, has been the focus of increasing attention in the medical and popular press because of its high incidence and strong association with poor patient outcomes
The impact of AKI in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is stark: estimates of the global burden of AKI suggest that over 13 million people are affected annually and that AKI contributes to 1.7 million deaths per year [5]
In part, increased awareness has sprung from the widespread adoption of international criteria for the definition of AKI that are based on changes in serum creatinine concentration and PLOS Medicine | DOI:10.1371/journal.pmed
Summary
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is defined using widely accepted international criteria that are based on changes in serum creatinine concentration and degree of oliguria. AKI, when defined in this way, has a strong association with poor patient outcomes, including high mortality rates and longer hospital admissions with increased resource utilisation and subsequent chronic kidney disease. The detection of AKI using current criteria can assist with AKI diagnosis and stratification of individual patient risk. The diagnosis of AKI requires clinical judgement to integrate the definition of AKI with the clinical situation, to determine underlying cause of AKI, and to take account of factors that may affect performance of current definitions.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
